


a breath of fresh air

by jennycaakes



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-05
Packaged: 2018-03-10 16:18:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3296792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennycaakes/pseuds/jennycaakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Maya attempts to distract Bellamy from the endless waiting that being an "inside man" comes with, and not-so-subtly prying into his personal life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a breath of fresh air

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know about you but I definitely want some Maya/Bellamy bonding time. And I don't know about you but Maya /totally/ saw the way Bellamy's face lit up when he heard Clarke's voice on the radio. This was the result.

"Are you worried about her?" 

Bellamy swallowed the last bit of cake that Maya had brought him ( _God_ desserts were better than he had  _ever_  imagined them to be) and lifted his cup to his lips. The people in Mount Weather were monsters but their food was good, and water that wasn't from a stream was even better. He sucked his teeth.

"Who?"

"Clarke," Maya asked.  _They're sending a missile_ , Bellamy had told her earlier over the radio.  _Tomorrow night. The plan's already been approved_. 

"She'll know what to do," Bellamy answered. He looked down at his empty plate and greedily wished there was more to eat. Maya sneaking him food was getting harder, and sometimes she barely came with anything, but he was grateful for all she brought. "I'm more worried about everyone as a whole. Or my friends." Maya nodded, following his gaze to his plate with a small frown. "I wish I could do more."

"If it wasn't for you then everyone at your camp  _would_  be dead," Maya reminded him. Bellamy's face pinched together. "Clarke thinks you're doing more than enough." He lifted his gaze to Maya's and frowned at her. He wasn't an idiot. He knew what she was doing. Bellamy's lack of people to talk to wasn't ideal - it was causing him to be more open with Maya than he would've liked. He still didn't trust her entirely despite all the good she'd done for him. "You speak highly of her."

"She's a good leader." Maya smirked. "Don't look at me like that." She shrugged innocently and Bellamy slouched backwards against the metal wall. "Where's your update on my friends?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

Maya's smirk faded. "They're cycling through them. Don't want to wear them out. Giving them at least a small amount of time to heal before they operate again." Bellamy sighed, knocking his head against the wall slightly. "They haven't touched Monty or Harper again yet." That, at least, was some good news. "They went for Nate today."

"Fuck," he grumbled. He reached up and pulled at his hair. What he wouldn't give to have one conversation with any one the 47. 

"It's better this way. I mean, it's still awful," Maya shook her head. "Just, at least this way they're not draining them. We have some time." Unfortunately Bellamy agreed, but more than anything he wished they didn't have to be operated on. "I'm working on a way to get you in there," Maya said. "Until then, there's no use dwelling on it."

Again, another thing Bellamy unfortunately agreed with. He looked back down at the plate. "Well, thanks for the food." Maya's smirk returned to her face and Bellamy's scowl deepened. "You should go. Like you said, no use dwelling on anything. Just have to wait." Still, she stayed with him in the vent. "Maya," he frowned."

"What's it like up there?" she asked. "On the ground." He let out a deep breath, turning his head away from her. "Jasper didn't talk about it much. He's not one with words."

Bellamy couldn't help but snort, "You think I'm one with words?" Maya shrugged. She stayed in her spot. "It's a lot better than this," he finally muttered. A part of Bellamy wished that the Mountain Men could find a way to experience it. Not all of them, but the people like Maya who knew what they were doing was wrong. The children that didn't understand. That little boy -- Lovejoy's son. He wished there was a way from them to feel the sun on their faces without his friends getting hurt. "The Ark was like this, too," he said. "A giant box. I mean, you read about Earth but experiencing it is entirely different." 

"How?" she asked. "Explain."

Bellamy let his eyes drift shut. He wanted it now, the fresh air and the scent of the trees. He wanted to hear the insects chirping, not the metallic hum of the ventilator system. 

"Everything is so intense," he murmured. "Every color is brighter than you expect it to be. The wind is like an ancient god breathing on your face, reminding you you're alive. The rain does that too. Everything does that."

"Reminds you you're alive?" Maya asked, and he tipped his head in confirmation. "What was it like?" she continued. "In the beginning?"

"It was chaos," Bellamy laughed, his eyes opening and finding hers.  _Whatever the hell we want_ , he thought. "Sometimes it was horrifying. Other times it was..." he trailed off, the smile on his face fading. "It was nice."

"Like what, was nice?"

"I don't know." He didn't want to have this conversation anymore. It was making his chest hurt. "Monty made a hooch. Drinking by the fire was always fun." There was something about the laughter of a crowd that made Bellamy feel like he belonged. But here in the walls of Mount Weather he only heard screams and battle plans. God, he longed for the in-between moments when they weren't fighting for their lives. When they could just be young and savor it. Maybe one day soon they'd have that again. "Being with Octavia again."

"Your sister?"

"Mm," he nodded. Bellamy had spoken to her over the radio the night before, and hearing her voice had filled him with more relief than he knew was possible.  _Indra made me her second_ , Octavia had said.  _She's training me_. She hadn't asked about Lincoln, maybe it had slipped her mind or she had known something had gone wrong, but Bellamy was grateful. He wasn't sure how to tell his baby sister what her boyfriend had done. "Maya you should really get some sleep." 

Still, she stayed where she was. "I like talking to you," she said. Bellamy sighed. "In case you hadn't noticed I don't have too many friends. And with Jasper gone..." she shook her head. "Just tell me more. Please."

He wasn't sure what compelled him to. Maybe he pitied Maya, or maybe he heard that twinge in her voice that came with an overbearing sadness Bellamy couldn't stand himself. He knew what it was like to dream of bigger things, brighter places. And he was tired, leaving his barriers to crumble slightly. So he kept going. 

"Did Jasper tell you when he was speared in the stomach?" Bellamy asked. Maya's eyebrows lifted in slight surprise. "No? It was the first day we were on Earth. He was trying to get to Mount Weather, actually."

"What happened?"

"Clarke fixed him." And her smirk was back. "Don't," Bellamy warned.

"You make it too easy, Bellamy." He shook his head and looked away from her but Maya nudged him. "Your face lights up when you hear her voice on the radio," she said. He still shook his head. "It does."

"It doesn't," he protested. "Clarke's a good friend, Maya. But that's it." She was still smirking. "Listen, she's a great leader. She makes tough calls but always does what's right even if it hurts and I respect her for that."

"Does she know that you're in love with her?"

"You-- _go_ ," he frowned, motioning toward the hole they had to climb through to be in the vent. If he could leave he would but it's not like he can just wander through Mount Weather. "Stop this. I'm not." 

"I know how great she is, Bellamy, I met her. She almost killed me. So I understand where your respect and admiration comes in -- she stands up for what she believes in." He dropped his head back against the wall and continued shaking his head. He didn't need to hear this and he didn't  _want_  to. Bellamy knew how he felt about Clarke, he didn't need Maya reminding him. 

"Now isn't the time," he grumbled. 

"That doesn't stop Monty and Nate. Or me and Jasper." Bellamy scratched at his head. "I hardly doubt it would stop you and Clarke."

"I need to go to bed," Bellamy finally decided. If she wasn't going to sleep at least he could convince her that he was trying to. "So you need to leave." 

With a loud sigh Maya finally caved. She started scooting toward her exit but stopped at the last minute. Bellamy busied himself with fluffing the small pillow she'd brought him from the infirmary as to not drag out her stay. 

"When I'm with Jasper," Maya started slowly, "it's how I imagine I'd feel if I could go on the ground." Bellamy didn't turn to look at her. "And sooner or later this is all going to end." There was that sadness in her voice again, either resignation or defeat. The odds weren't looking to good for Maya -- she'd either be stuck in here (without Jasper, too) or end up dead from radiation. "I just think--I think you should tell her."

Bellamy sighed, clenching the pillow in his fists. "It's more complicated than just telling her," he murmured. It was more complicated than just telling Clarke how he felt. The whole Finn situation was at the top of the list -- he knew Clarke was still fragile. Though he didn't turn to see, Bellamy was sure Maya was smirking again. A victory smile. "Get some sleep, Maya."

"I'll see you for breakfast," she responded. "Goodnight, Bellamy." She exited the vent without another word and Bellamy sunk down onto his pillow. Their makeshift beds back at Camp Jaha weren't very good but they were a lot comfier than a vent. He laid on his back and looked up at the roof of the metal box he was in, wishing he could see the stars.


End file.
